


Waking Dawn

by phenomenology



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-03-31 12:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3977905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenomenology/pseuds/phenomenology
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off of a question I answered on my Tumblr. How Kanan and Hera wake up their daughter Dawn, when she's a baby, a toddler, and a teenager. And the one time they try to wake her up but find that they can't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hera

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just going to say that this is that anon's fault for asking the question in the first place. And thank you to Liz and Beck for beta reading this first part. Kanan's will be coming later!

_Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother_

_She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh_

_And life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no_

_Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby_

_~ If I Die Young_ The Band Perry

* * *

Hera woke up with a yawn, extending her arms above her head and slowly rolling her wrists around in a circle, hearing them crack delicately as she did. At the same time, Hera pushed through her feet and grunted with satisfaction at the feeling of her stretched muscles. Relaxing when she began to tremble with strain, Hera let out a heavy breath, flopping her straightened arms onto her pillow, splayed above her head.

Allowing herself a moment more to enjoy the warm, sleepy aura surrounding her, Hera smiled at the ceiling. Finally pushing herself out of bed, Hera shook out her exhausted limbs and left her cabin, heading for her daughter’s cabin.

Kanan and Hera had decided to put their daughter in the cabin that bridged the gap between their own. That way, either of them could attend to her if she were to start crying.

Now, Hera was the one who was stepping into the dim cabin, her footfalls almost entirely silent. Kanan had gotten up during the night to handle their daughter so Hera was on wake up duty. The Twi’lek approached her baby’s crib and peered over the edge, gazing fondly down at her baby girl’s sleeping form.

Dawn was still rather tiny, only being about nine months old. Her sensitive skin was a medley of color, the tan coloring of Kanan’s skin melting into a gradient of the pale blues and greens of Twi’lek coloring. Hera’s favorite part of her daughter’s vibrant skin was the barrage of dark brown freckles that coated Dawn’s face, shoulders, and the rest of her.

Smiling softly, Hera started to gently poke at Dawn’s freckles, barely applying pressure as she moved her finger across Dawn’s cheeks and nose. She traced the clusters up the bridge of her daughter’s nose and onto her forehead.

Dawn began to stir, letting out a soft cooing noise that was a common sound for a baby. Hera mimicked the noise and giggled softly as Dawn’s bright eyes fluttered open. Hera watched as her infant’s mouth stretched open in a soft yawn. Hera reached over the bar of the crib and scooped Dawn up into her arms.

“Good morning my little rebel,” Hera cooed in a sweet voice. Dawn blinked up at Hera with bright blue irises and spluttered as only babies do before giggling happily. Hera imitated Dawn and blew a raspberry against her baby’s cheek, drawing more squeals from her infant daughter.

“Okay sweetie, let’s get some food in you before Daddy wakes up,” Hera said, giving Dawn a little bounce. Heading back out into the hallway, Hera carried Dawn down the corridor and into the galley of the _Ghost_. The older Twi’lek set Dawn up in her booster chair before moving about, preparing food.

Hera hummed to herself for a bit, her voice carrying sweetly throughout the room before she started singing. The song was an old lullaby that she remembered from her childhood on Ryloth with her family. Hera had distant memories of her mother singing it to her. The song was sweet and light, the melody gracious upon those who listened.

As Hera continued to sing quietly, she brought a small bowl of food for Dawn over to the booster. She found that her baby was listening quietly, staring up at her mother with large blue eyes and making no noise to disrupt her mother’s song.

Hera smiled down at Dawn before kissing her baby’s head softly. Dawn’s lekku were just beginning to grow in and Hera adored the little stumps protruding from the back of her baby’s head.

Finishing the lullaby, Hera smiled at Dawn and began to feed her the breakfast she had prepared.

“Eat up, my little rebel,” Hera cooed, smiling as Dawn gnawed on the spoon in her mouth. “You’ve got to get big and strong so you can defend yourself one day.”

-~*~`*-

Hera stood in the galley of the Ghost, her weight pressed up against the edge of the nearby counter. She had a steaming mug of caf in one hand. She was using her free hand to rub the sleep out of her eyes, yawning shortly before shaking her head in an attempt to wake up. Her lekku swung, falling over her shoulders as she did.

The long nights were starting to catch up with her. But Hera knew that with the escalating rebellion, she couldn’t always afford to sleep. That didn’t stop the Twi’lek from making sure Dawn got her sleep, though.

Hera shoved off the counter and started down the corridor, going to wake her daughter now that she was thinking about her.

Dawn’s door slid open with a soft hiss, allowing the artificial hall lights to spill across the floor and enter the room. Her little toddler of a daughter had her back to the door as Hera walked in.

Dawn’s lekku had grown in nicely, the tips reaching just past the nape of her neck when she stood. Now though, they lay splayed out across her pillow as Dawn slept. Hera crept over to her daughter’s bed and sat on the edge. A smile pulled at her tired expression as Hera gazed down at her daughter’s sleeping face.

Hera placed her hand on Dawn’s shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. Dawn didn’t respond, still peacefully slumbering away beneath Hera’s hand.

“Dawn, sweetie, wake up,” Hera said in a soft voice, giving Dawn’s shoulder another shake.

The little girl mumbled something incoherent and rolled onto her stomach, smooshing her face into the pillow and covering herself with her blankets. Hera could hear her daughter’s muffled giggles from where she sat. Smirking, Hera couldn’t help but think, _Just like her father._

“Oh dear, I hope little Dawn gets up soon. To think that all those waffles I’m about to make are going to go to waste. There’s no way Daddy and I can eat them all by ourselves.” Hera kept her eyes trained on the lump of blanket that was her daughter and smirked. Hera caught Dawn’s little gasp and she kept going.

“And of course there’s going to be a whole carton of a certain little girl’s favorite juice! What am I supposed to do with that if she doesn’t wake up?”

Dawn abruptly flung back the covers, evidently now fully awake as she flung herself at her mother. Hera laughed in surprise as her daughter’s little arms wrapped around her shoulders and held fast.

“Morning, Mama! What was that about waffles?” Dawn squeaked in her five-year-old voice piqued with interest and evident elation. The little girl clamored onto her mother’s back, clutching tightly as if expecting a piggyback ride.

Hera chuckled and stood, supporting Dawn on her back and bouncing off towards the galley. Dawn held onto her mother tightly and giggled and squealed the whole way there.

“Let’s get some breakfast ready, shall we?” Hera laughed as she helped Dawn slide off her back and to the floor.

-~*~`*-

There were no pleasantries with the wake up call. Hera allowed the door to slide open into Dawn’s cabin before she entered briskly. The older woman stooped enough to give her daughter’s shoulder a gentle, but firm, shake.

“Dawn, wake up. It’s time for you to get ready.” Hera’s voice was no longer as soft as it used to be when waking up a younger Dawn. Her tone was brisk and demanding, not taking ‘no’ for answer unless something was actually wrong with her daughter. Hera had a schedule to keep and Dawn shared a part of that schedule. That meant there was no time for leisurely stretching and dragging about.

Of course, that didn’t mean that Hera loved Dawn any less. In fact, when Hera had started waking her daughter up earlier for training, they had grown even closer. Dawn was aware of the urgency her parents were doing; aware of the battle she had been born into. She was aware that the battle was now hers to bear as well. And she loved helping her parents. Dawn had once told Hera that waking up early meant spending more time with Hera and Kanan, before the more tedious work began at least.

Dawn’s eyes fluttered open and she rolled onto her back, blinking in a disoriented haze up at her mother. Dawn stretched her arms above her head, a soft grunt escaping her as she did.

“C’mon, love,” Hera said, gently flicking Dawn’s cheek with a grin. “Up and at ‘em. You’ve got piloting for the morning patrol sweep.”

At Hera’s words, Dawn bounced upward and scrambled out of bed excitedly. Hera stepped aside, watching her daughter rush off towards the fresher. She laughed shortly and shook her head before following Dawn out of the room. Hera made her way to the galley, pouring two cups of caf, before going back to the cockpit.

The Twi’lek knew that Dawn loved to pilot the ship. She had a passion for it almost as strong as Hera’s. While Hera rarely let Dawn pilot outside of times when the traffic was lighter, she knew that Dawn would eventually have to learn how to maneuver through heavier gridlock.

But not yet…she was still young.

As Hera settled into the co-pilot’s chair, Dawn came bounding into the cockpit. She flung herself down in the pilot’s seat, practically wiggling with excitement as she adjusted the seat and started working at the controls. Hera made sure that Dawn paused long enough for Hera to pass her daughter a cup of caf.

Once Dawn had gotten the ship ready, she took manual control and began steering the Ghost up towards the skies of Lothal. They would be taking a quick patrol sweep of a couple nearby towns, making sure that everything looked okay from the air. The Imperials still had a strong presence on the Outer Rim planet. Hera was still waiting for contact from Fulcrum as to what their next step should be. For now, though, they would continue patrolling and attempting to make the civilians’ lives easier.

Hera relaxed in her seat, watching Dawn every now and again, but mostly enjoyed the early morning outside the viewport. Hera was completely confident in Dawn’s abilities as a pilot, so she hardly worried.

“Mom?” Dawn finally asked, breaking the silence as they glided peacefully over an open moor.

Hera turned to look at her daughter’s profile, humming in response.

“Are we ever going to live a normal life? Like the people in the towns we watch over?” Dawn continued watching the moor in front of her, not wanting to move her gaze from where she was flying.

Hera was taken aback by the question for a moment. Then she returned her gaze to the sight before them and sighed heavily. The Twi’lek’s fingers fiddled with the surface of the cup she was holding as she pondered her daughter’s question.

“Your father and I would like to, once everything settles down…if it ever does. He and I have the hope that one day the rebellion will be over and there will be peace. Then we would like to live a normal life. But right now…we don’t know.” Hera glanced back at her daughter. “Why do you ask?”

“I love this life, don’t get me wrong,” Dawn said quickly, her eyes still trained on the moor and the approaching town. “But I can’t help but feel like our family deserves more, ya know? I feel like you and dad deserve to live a life where your love for each other and for me shouldn’t be a risk. And…I love the ship but sometimes I wish I had a home that I could bring friends back to.”

Hera didn’t answer, but simply stared at her daughter’s profile in distress.

Dawn, sensing her mother’s eyes on her, bit her lip and shook her head.

“Never mind, forget I said anything. It’s just a daydream, a fantasy. We have important work to do as part of the rebellion and I really shouldn’t be thinking about this kind of stuff.”

Hera let out a shaky breath and set her cup aside. She laced her slender fingers together and tried to keep her voice steady.

“It’s not wrong or even selfish to want something like that, Dawn. It’s not your fault that you grew up living this life. Your father and I, this is our mission and it shouldn’t have to be yours too if you long for a normal life.” Hera paused before asking in a soft voice, “Do you want a normal life, Dawn?”

Dawn hesitated, her eyes full of conflict as she continued staring out at the town they were now flying over. The scanners were silent and the radio they patched into didn’t have anything exciting to report at the moment.

“If you do, your father and I can get that for you. However…we would not be involved in that new life,” Hera said in an even softer voice than before.

At that, Dawn finally tore her eyes away from the viewport and looked at her mother with a startled expression. Her bright blue-green eyes were full of confusion and surprise. “W-what do you mean?” Dawn couldn’t help but wonder how long her parents had been thinking about this; since it was obvious her mother had a plan already in place.

“Your father and I know an older woman, and old friend named Zaluna, who lives alone on a planet here in the Outer Rim. We could take you to her and you could live a normal, quiet life with her. But Kanan and I…we decided a long time ago that this rebellion is something we need to finish. However, we will not drag you into it…if you don’t want to be a part of it.” Hera’s voice almost broke over every word, but she tried to remain strong and open towards her daughter.

Dawn slowly returned her watchful gaze to the viewport, obviously pondering Hera’s offer as she slowly banked the Ghost around so they could return to where the Ghost had been resting during the night. Hera sat, mentally preparing herself for her daughter’s answer.

“I want to stay with you and dad. If it means giving up a normal life, so be it. I would probably be bored out of my mind anyway,” Dawn chuckled at the last part.

Hera turned to look at her daughter with surprise. She hadn’t really known what Dawn’s answer was going to be, but she still found herself shocked by the fact that Dawn would give up something like that, something many other rebels that Hera knew longed for quite a bit.

“Don’t look so surprised, Mom,” Dawn said, glancing sideways at Hera. “I’m only fourteen. I’ve got plenty of time left to live a normal life. There’s no way this rebellion could last much longer, right?”

Hera smiled and leaned back in the co-pilot’s chair, picking up her cup again as she monitored Dawn’s flying. They were once again soaring out over the open moor and everything was still peaceful.

“Right,” Hera said with confidence. She had always felt guilty about not being strong enough to leave her daughter behind with Zaluna when she was younger. Hera had always planned on giving Dawn the choice to live a simpler existence when she was a bit older. But now, Hera’s anxieties had settled a bit, knowing Dawn was now willingly choosing to keep fighting with her parents.

-~*~`*-

The sound of blaster fire was all around them, drowning out most other noises.

But Hera heard Dawn’s scream from halfway across the chaotic battlefield.

The sound tore at Hera and made her feel like she had just taken a blaster bolt to the chest. Whirling around, Hera just caught a glimpse of her beautiful daughter crumpling to the ground before she lost sight of Dawn.

“No!” Hear screamed, her voice shredding her throat with the force of her cry. Hera took off in the direction she had seen Dawn fall, desperately shoving through the melee. Her mind was racing with all the horrible possibilities of what she might find when she reached Dawn. Her heart was hammering wildly against her ribs and Hera could barely see now through the blur of tears welling up in her eyes.

“Dawn!” Hera cried out around a sob as she finally dropped next to her daughter. Heart in throat and pulse pounding in her ears, Hera gently rolled Dawn over and gathered her up, holding Dawn close.

Giving Dawn a gentle shake, Hera tried to ignore the spreading stain of blood beginning to soak through Dawn’s clothes. Hera averted her eyes from Dawn’s chest where the wound was taunting her with its disastrous hue. She shook her little girl’s limp form again, trying to be gentle, but her gestures coming off frantic.

“Dawn,” Hera called, her voice cracking partway through her child’s name. “Dawn, c’mon sweetie wake up. Open your eyes, baby. It’s okay, I’m here and I’ve got you. Please just wake up.”

The noise of the fight had become drowned and muted to Hera’s senses. All that she could seem to focus on was her poor child’s limp body that she was cradling in her arms. Hera hadn’t held Dawn like this since she was a baby. Hera didn’t think she had ever seen Dawn sleeping this peacefully since she was very young.

But never had seeing her daughter sleeping so soundly frightened her in this way before.

There was no way that her baby was gone. Dawn was still so young, she had so much left to do. Hera could remember talking with her beautiful girl just the other night about traveling to another planet to go on an adventure. They had been so excited. And now Dawn's cold, bloodstained body lay listless in Hera's arms.

“Dawn!” Hera cried out with force, burying her face in her daughter’s shoulder. “Please, I’m sorry, just wake up!”

Hera couldn’t help but think about the promises she had made to Dawn. She had promised that Dawn would live a normal life, away from rebellion and danger once everything had settled down. Hera had promised to introduce her to Zaluna, to let her travel to some planets in the Inner Rim. Hera had promised that Dawn would have a peaceful life and live for a long time, raise a family.

And now all of that was gone.

“Dawn,” Hera sobbed into her little girl’s cold shoulder. “I’m so sorry…I shouldn’t have dragged you into this…this is all my fault.”

Hera sat there, holding Dawn’s cold, lifeless body in her arms for a few moments longer.

She promised herself that she would avenge her daughter’s death before the day was over

Hera straightened up after a long, mournful pause, remembering all of those promises. Hearing a noise behind her, she kissed Dawn’s forehead and gently set her down. Hera tried not to wince when Dawn’s head lolled sideways as Hera let her daughter go. Hera turned, finding a small cluster of Imperial troopers with arms at the ready, all aimed at her.

“You,” Hera said, voice icy and thick with despair and hatred. Her eyes burned with rage and pain as she leveled her blaster with the troopers before her.

“All of you will pay for what you did!” Hera’s voice rose from a threatening whisper to a terrifying shout. “She was sixteen! She was a kid!” the broken woman shouted as her finger went taut on the trigger. Hera’s blaster fired again and again, point-blank at the troopers’ chests, wiping them all out in seconds.

They had barely had time to comprehend the motherly rage fueling Hera as she walked over their corpses to deal with the next Imperial who crossed her path.


	2. Kanan

_Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right_

_To deserve a hug every morning, and butterfly kisses at night._

_~Butterfly Kisses_ Bob Carlisle

* * *

Ever since before Dawn was born, Kanan had been able to sense his child's Force signature. It had grown stronger as Hera's pregnancy went on, and stronger still after Dawn had finally entered the world. Kanan had yet to actually test Dawn's blood, as she was still only a few months old. Besides, Kanan was severely against sticking a squirming, innocent six-month-old with a needle. But he was sure that Dawn would turn out Force sensitive.

Standing over his baby's crib now, he smiled down at Dawn. She was sound asleep, laying on her back and looking absolutely peaceful. Kanan admired his daughter's gradient complexion and plethora of dark freckles covering her skin. Her lekku had yet to grow in, but Kanan still thought that Dawn was the most beautiful being he had ever seen, aside from Hera of course.

Hera, who had been up almost all night, was now passed out in her bunk next door, and so it was Kanan's turn to wake Dawn up so she could eat breakfast.

Breakfast with Dawn, to say the least, was always an adventure. Some mornings her food ended up on the floor, other mornings it wound up smeared across the wall. There were times when it was substituted as soap and slathered all over Dawn's face and body. A couple of times, Chopper had ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and spent the better part of the morning being hosed down.

By far the most impressive was the time it wound up on the ceiling. In a completely different room.

Hera and Kanan had yet to actually figure out how Dawn had managed that one, or any of them for that matter. She always seemed to make the biggest mess when they turned away. It wasn't as if they left her unattended for long. One of them would turn around to grab some more napkins, or give Chopper a short order, only to turn around and find a mess.

Hera had assured Kanan she would grow out of it. Of course that had been before Dawn's breakfast had mysteriously magicked itself into a different room.

Chest rumbling with laughter, Kanan shook his head with a smile. Reaching his arm into the crib, Kanan gently began to rub his hand across Dawn's stomach, his touch light so as not to startle her. Dawn could sometimes be fitful if awoken too hastily, something Kanan and Hera had learned the hard way. After that experience, they had learned to wake their baby gently, which Kanan now did by leaning against the edge of the crib and continuing to rub circles against Dawn's belly.

Kanan had begun to have thoughts about writing all of their incidents down and presenting them to Dawn when she was older as a gag gift. Or maybe he would turn it into a comedy or a parenting book. He could call it, _"Raising a Force Sensitive Baby: A First-Timer's Guide to Surviving Infancy"_ and it would include all of their misadventures with Dawn.

He could see it now. The most extensive section so far would be entitled, _"Battles with Breakfast: How Far is Your Child Throwing their Food and Should You Be Worried?"_ He could include charts and diagrams about how far the food should be flying at what age and the varying degrees of worry that are appropriate at that time.

Of course, there were still many more adventures to be had. The newest episode of _Breakfast Battle_ still had to happen.

"C'mon sweetheart," Kanan murmured, his gentle prodding increasing slightly. "Time to wake up. Daddy's hungry and I know you are too. Maybe you won't throw so much food around today."

Dawn, as if responding to Kanan's encouragement, cooed softly and began to blink her eyelids open. She lifted her little, chubby arms and legs towards Kanan's hand and latched onto him. An infant's strength always had surprised Kanan, now more than any other time as he practically lifted Dawn out with his arm.

"Whoa there kiddo!" Kanan said, startled by Dawn's resilience. "You aren't allowed to start climbing things until you learn to walk. And seeing as you're six months old, I don't see that happening soon."

 _Hopefully,_ Kanan added silently. He really hoped that Dawn wouldn't add climbing to her repertoire of destructive tactics for at least another year. Kanan didn't think he could handle that on top of the disappearing food act.

Dawn spluttered with laughter, obviously awake now, as Kanan scooped his other arm underneath Dawn and supported her against him, prying his arm free without upsetting his daughter. However, almost as soon as his hand had been freed from her grip, her little fists clenched around his shirt as Dawn leaned against Kanan's shoulder. Sighing with a shake of his head, Kanan simply carried Dawn out into the galley to fix them both some breakfast.

"I wonder how far you'll manage to throw your food this time," he muttered. Kanan chuckled to himself as he walked, Dawn cooing at his shoulder all the way.

-~*~`*-

Kanan was very much aware of the way Hera would wake Dawn up. And as much as he was aware, he simply had his own means of waking up their daughter. Now almost five years of age, Dawn was full of boundless energy and constantly had laughter spilling from her lips. And honestly, who would be able to resist hearing their child's laughter first thing in the morning?

Slipping quietly into Dawn's cabin, Kanan gazed fondly down at his daughter. She was curled up into a tight little ball, somehow cocooning herself in her blankets at some point during the night. As she slumbered peacefully, Dawn's lekku twitched atop her head and she rolled sideways, only ensnaring herself further in her blankets.

Chuckling to himself, Kanan knelt down beside her bed and gently tugged away the twisted sheets, trying to free Dawn from her cocoon. The little girl's lekku twitched again as she rolled onto her back with a soft, sleepy murmur.

Kanan paused, the untangled, rumpled sheets held in one hand as he waited to see if Dawn would wake up. Yet, despite her movement, she remained asleep and eventually stilled.

Setting the sheets aside, Kanan grinned to himself and began gently poking his daughter's sides. Dawn grunted and rolled away from Kanan, her little hand shooing in his general direction. Chuckling again, Kanan reached over to her and began tickling her sides. Twitching away from him, Kanan could hear the smile behind Dawn's attempt at an indignant grunt. She may only be five, but she was as sassy as Hera ever was.

Reaching around her, Kanan pulled Dawn closer and gave her a small spin so she was facing him. She let out a surprised squeal, which proceeded to fall into giggles as her father continued to tickle her sides.

"C'mon kiddo! I've got lots of waffles to make and I need an assistant!" Kanan crowed cheerfully as Dawn tried to wiggle away from his reach. He reached out and quickly dragged her back, rumpling the bed sheets beneath her even further.

"Oh no you don't!" Kanan laughed. "Those waffles aren't going to make themselves!"

"But Daddy!" Dawn whined, her voice nowhere even close to sounding sincere. "I'm tired! I don't wanna get up yet!" Her sentence was peppered with uncontrollable giggles as she tried to scramble away from Kanan's grasp yet again.

"Make Chop-Chop help you!" she cried, almost making it around Kanan.

With quick movements, Kanan scooped Dawn up around her middle and tossed her over his shoulder like he would carry a sack. He tickled her sides a little more before deciding that having a toddler's foot connect with his nose was not a good way to start the morning. Deciding instead to spin around a few quick times to keep Dawn laughing, Kanan shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Chopper? Really? Don't you remember what happened last time, kiddo? It was a mess!"

Dawn's bubbling laughter at his ear told Kanan that yes, she did indeed remember what had happened last time Chopper was enlisted to help with breakfast. They hadn't been able to use the galley for a week after that. Finding replacements had been the hardest part, what with having to jump around half the Outer Rim to find most of the parts.

 _No_ , Chopper would not be helping again any time soon.

"I need someone who knows how food is supposed to look and taste, Dawn. Which is why you're going to help me!" Kanan made his way out into the corridor, still carrying Dawn over his shoulder. As they passed Hera's cabin, Kanan made sure Dawn quieted down so as not to disturb Hera. He even tiptoed much to dramatically past her door. Dawn had to press her little hands over her mouth in an attempt to suppress her fit of giggles as Kanan's ridiculousness.

Once they made it into the kitchen, Kanan finally let Dawn down to the floor. But not before swooping her up into the air in an unnecessarily gallant gesture.

The moment Dawn's feet hit the ground, she started jumping up and down with excitement.

"Oh! Oh! Daddy can I get the bowl down?" Her bright, round eyes pleaded with Kanan in the way only she could get away with. Her little lekku, now reaching just to the nape of her neck, bounced along with her movements. It only seemed to add to her already adorable features, but Kanan loved watching her do so. She was so full of life that it could tire anyone out, but it only made Kanan love his daughter all the more.

"It's a little high up for you, don't you think?" Kanan asked, kneeling down to Dawn's level and comically raising an eyebrow at her. Of course he knew what she really meant, but he loved to make faces and get her smiling.

Dawn all but rolled her eyes at Kanan, bouncing even closer to her father as she clasped her small hands together. She seemed to beg with more enthusiasm than before, trying to make it clear to Kanan. She really wanted to do this.

"No! I want to practice, Daddy! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, ple-"

"Okay, okay!" Kanan laughed, finally cutting off Dawn's incessant begging. "You can practice. But try not to drop it, otherwise we might wake Mommy."

Dawn nodded vigorously and grinned as Kanan straightened up again. He walked over to the cabinet and opened the little door, making sure the bowl was there before standing aside. He watched his daughter, his gaze no longer that of an amused father. He instead inspected her actions with that of a teacher, a master critiquing his pupil.

The small child found the bowl with her eyes and stared at it intensely for a few moments. She took a deep, steadying breath and let her eyes close. Slowly, her hands rose in the direction of the bowl. Dawn's brow furrowed in concentration, as she tried to remember that she had to breathe steadily.

Kanan watched her movements with a critical eye, approving silently of her stance and almost perfectly even breaths. Through their link in the Force, he could feel the swell of her concentration and determined will at getting the bowl down.

Dawn was strong with the Force, and talented for one of her age. Kanan allowed her to practice when she wanted to outside of her simple training. He had been right to assume, while she was in Hera's womb, that Dawn would be Force sensitive. He had hardly needed to test her midi-chlorian count after she was born. Her presence through the Force had been clue enough from the moment she took her first real breath.

A soft clatter drew Kanan's attention back to the present, his gaze shifting from his daughter to the bowl still high on the shelf. Dawn had gotten it to lift a couple centimeters from the surface, holding it in place with her movements. Noticing that Dawn might need a little guidance, Kanan uncrossed his arms and moved quietly. Stepping closer to Dawn, Kanan made sure to keep his voice soft, so as not to startle her or distract her.

"Very good, Dawn," Kanan encouraged her quietly. "Now, picture the bowl moving away from the shelf so you can set it down on the counter. Focus on that image and will the bowl to move."

Dawn nodded her head minutely and furrowed her brow even further. Kanan was honestly impressed with how much she could scrunch up her eyebrows. With a soft huff of laughter, he turned his attention back to the bowl.

She had gotten it to move, but not in the right direction. Instead of pulling the bowl out, she had pushed it further back into the cupboard. The ceramic material clicked against the back wall and dropped back onto the shelf. Kanan chuckled lightly and put an arm around Dawn's shoulders. His daughter's stance relaxed, her lower lip poking out in a frustrated pout.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie," Kanan reassured her. "It's a common mistake. And besides! You actually moved the bowl, which is impressive on it's own!" As he stood to grab the bowl down properly, Kanan tossed a grin over to Dawn.

"You'll make a great Jedi one day, kiddo. But for now, how about we just focus on making breakfast? Like I said, those waffles won't make themselves!"

Kanan's gentle reminder of the prospect of food seemed to pull Dawn back from her pouting. She was never one to dwell on her failures, especially when there was food being offered instead. Dawn was much more skilled at fetching Kanan the proper ingredients and she loved being able to stir everything together. The young girl took a simple pleasure in watching everything mix together to create the delicious harmony that was waffle batter.

And of course, Kanan always let her lick the spoon.

-~*~`*-

There are many ways to wake a teenager up in the morning. Most of them, admittedly, did not end well. If there was one thing that was universal throughout all cultures and species in the known universe, it was that teenagers did _not_ like to be woken up early. Ever.

Kanan, being a father, was very much aware of this fact. And naturally, he completely ignored it.

Every couple mornings, Kanan and Hera would take turns waking their lovely little teenager up for her morning duties. Despite her name, Dawn did not like to wake up early unless there was the promise of piloting the ship and lots of caf. Kanan had neither of those to offer on this glorious morning. Hera was already flying, taking them to a spot near her rendezvous with Fulcrum, and Kanan had yet to brew caf.

So there was only one thing for him to do that would guarantee that Dawn would wake up.

Opening Dawn's door, Kanan paused in the doorway to make sure that the soft hiss of the sliding metal hadn't woken Dawn up first. Seeing that his daughter was still sound asleep in her bunk, Kanan smirked and took a few steps back after securing the door open. From his spot in the corridor, Kanan could still see Dawn's peaceful, sleeping figure. She was stretched out on her stomach, a position she had favored ever since she was an infant. One arm was draped listlessly over the edge of her bed, her gradient colored fingers stretching towards the cool flooring. Dawn's freckled lekku were splayed across her back, reaching a bit past her shoulder blades and still growing. Kanan almost felt bad about what he was going to do.

Taking a running start, Kanan shot into Dawn's quiet cabin and launched himself into the air. He felt suspended for a moment, the silence so thick in the air, it almost felt heavy.

And then it was chaos.

Kanan landed on the other side of Dawn, his weight crashing down on her bed with a dramatic _fwoomp_! Dawn and her father were tangled in the blankets as she pushed herself up with a shout of surprise. Her head whipped around in confusion for a moment, lekku swinging freely behind her, before her bright green eyes landed on her father. Kanan was disentangling himself from her blankets, eyes watering with tears as he laughed hysterically. Dawn's eyes narrowed dangerously and she started to aggressively pull the knotted blankets off of her legs.

"Dad!" Dawn cried indignantly. Kanan could sense her annoyance through their bond in the Force and decided it would be a wise time to start running.

Kanan bolted from his daughter's bed, Dawn not far behind her father as she watched him swing around her doorframe and into the corridor. Swinging around the corner after him, Dawn's lekku bounced behind her as she sprinted down the corridor after Kanan.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Dawn shouted after her father's receding figure, her annoyance and shock pumping adrenaline into her system and helping her wake up faster. Though she had lost sight of Kanan, Dawn could still sense his Force signature heading for the loading bay near the back of the ship.

The teen smirked as she sped around another corner and headed for the ladder that would lead her to her father. Kanan was so predictable to Dawn. From years of growing up chasing her father around, Dawn knew, even without the Force, that her father's strategy was to get as far away as fast as he could when he was running. And since Dawn's room and the loading bay were as far apart as they could get on the ship, it was where Kanan always wound up.

Slowing to a brisk walk, Dawn kept her footsteps light, hardly making a sound on the steel flooring. Her bare feet carried her towards the ladder and she deftly swung her way on. Making quick and quiet work of the rungs, Dawn turned to the sparse loading bay and stretched out her senses, searching for her father. Knowing that her father might be searching for her presence through the Force as well, Dawn tried to stay as still as possible, hoping he wouldn't notice her.

Finding her father's presence, Dawn moved lightly towards a large stack of crates near the back of the bay. She could sense Kanan behind them, and she wasn't going to let him get away from her. Her footsteps were soft and soundless as she rounded the pile. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, Dawn tried to suppress the giddy grin that pulled at the corners of her mouth. The thrill of the chase was getting to her, despite how much she wanted to feel annoyed.

Suddenly, the mass that was her father flew up and over Dawn. Startled, Dawn flailed around for a moment before falling backwards. She landed on the durasteel floor in an ungracious pile, cursing as she did.

"You're going to pay for that, dad!" Dawn cried irately after her father. His mischievous cackle echoed through the ship as he fled. Dawn scrambled to her feet and started after him. Her annoyed tone couldn't be taken seriously. She was grinning with excitement as adrenaline pumped through her, dampening her attempts at sounding mad.

As Dawn raced into the galley, she skidded to a stop, coming face to face with her mother. Taking a few cautious steps backwards, Dawn ducked her head under her mother's sever gaze. Hera stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips and lips pursed in annoyance. Dawn had hardly ever seen her looking mad, but she knew that it was time to stop whatever she was doing when Hera did look this way.

"Kanan!" Hera called in a clipped tone. "Get in here now!" A few short moments later, Kanan trotted into the galley and ducked his head sheepishly under Hera's look.

"If you two do any damage to my ship I swear I will throw you out of the loading bay myself, family or not!" The pair of Jedi before Hera flinched under her harsh tone, the floor suddenly holding quite a bit of interest for them. With an exasperated sigh, Hera shook her head and continued. "Honestly you two, there has to be a better way to get up in the morning. Maybe one that isn't so rambunctious?" Pulling a smirk, the Twi'lek reached over and flicked her husband lightly on the cheek.

"Who won this time?"

"Dad cheated!" Dawn cried before Kanan could answer. She knew that Hera was never really angry with them. This happened too often and they never really did any damage. Hera didn't have any other way to get them back in line other than to be harsh. It was a game they were all used to by now.

"Oh really?" Hera questioned, raising a thinly painted eyebrow at her husband. Kanan had moved off to start brewing the caf, innocently whistling a little tune as he did. He did, however, spare a moment to throw Hera a wink before turning back to the caf.

"He lured me over to where he was hiding and then leapt over me! He took me by surprise and knocked me down." Dawn spoke with her hands, waving them around for emphasis. She and Hera moved to sit around the table as Dawn continued. "It was totally unfair!"

Kanan chuckled and turned to face his daughter, leaning against the counter top as the caf brewed beside him. "I've told you before Dawn, you have an innate ability to sense the presence of others through the Force. You excel at it and it is a very useful skill to have. But you are lacking in being able to sense the _intention_ of those around you. And the less familiar you are with the person, the harder it is to pick up on. It's going to come in handy some day so maybe we should kick it up a notch in your training."

Knowing she had lost the argument, Dawn groaned and lowered her head to the table. She knew that Kanan was right, but sensing intention was just so hard to grasp. She didn't understand it.

Feeling her mother's hand on her head, Dawn lifted her head off the table and smiled up at Hera. Kanan came walking over with three cups of steaming caf in his hands. He set them down on the table and slid into the seat next to Hera. Throwing an arm around his wife's shoulders, Kanan leaned in to leave a quick kiss on Hera's cheek.

Dawn, pretending not to notice so her parent's could have a moment, wrapped her hands around the warm cup of caf and lifted it to her lips. The sweet taste of Spiran caf warmed Dawn's entire body as she drank it. There was the faintest hint of bitterness from the caf left on her tongue afterwards, but she hummed happily at the pleasant feeling the warm drink gave her.

"Spiran caf?" Hera questioned, apparently as pleasantly surprised as Dawn was. "What's the occasion, Kanan?"

Dawn knew that Spiran caf was some sort of special drink for her parents, but they had never actually told her why. At this point, Dawn was almost afraid to ask. The random appearances of the sweet beverage were like little mysteries that Dawn enjoyed poking at. She never really tried to get to the answer, but it was interesting to see how the caf could make her mother's eyes sparkle with youth. Her father would practically glow with adoration whenever Hera leaned into his shoulder as they drank the caf.

"No particular reason," Kanan said with a shrug, leaving another kiss on Hera's cheek. "I just thought it would be a good time for a treat."

Dawn chuckled from behind the rim of her cup, drawing her parent's attention towards their daughter. At their questioning looks, Dawn put her cup down on the table and shook her head with a smile.

"Honestly, you two are adorable. You're like two kids in love when you get all mushy gushy like this."

Watching as her parent's faces flushed at being called out, Kanan detached himself from Hera and smirked. "I'm going to get you for that one, kiddo!" he said teasingly.

Yelping, Dawn dashed off, leaving her caf behind as Kanan practically flew over the table after his daughter. Sighing in mock exasperation, Hera shook her head and leaned back into her seat. She sipped at her caf, smiling against the rim of her cup as her memories of the moons of Rion came flooding back. Listening to the sounds of her ridiculous husband and daughter crashing around her ship, Hera chuckled and continued to enjoy her drink.

-~*~`*-

When the feeling comes, it strikes like a blow to the gut. It has Kanan dropping to his knees, his lightsaber deactivating with a soft hiss. There’s an intense pain weighing heavily on Kanan’s chest, pushing and squeezing and constricting. Kanan could swear that his ribs are cracking underneath the vice-like grip on his torso. He can’t breathe, the air won’t come and—

And then it’s gone. The weight is lifted with a sudden rush of relief that forces a sob to Kanan’s lips. He can breathe again, his ribs are fine and there’s nothing wrong with him.

Kanan focuses on the connections he has through the Force, tracing the source of the blow, frantically trying to find the source. He has a fleeting thought about how his Master’s death had felt very similar to that. Kanan shoves the idea aside with fervor, refusing to dwell on it as he continues searching.

He does eventually find the end of the tether, panic swelling and expanding inside his chest when he does.

“No,” he chokes out, the word carried on a strangled breath. Before he even gives conscious thought to his actions, Kanan is running. He’s ducking and weaving through the turmoil of the battle he’s caught in, just trying to find her. He has to find her in time; he can save her if he can just get to her.

Pushing his way around a pair of soldiers locked in combat, Kanan pulls up short. His breaths had already been coming in short, shallow gasps but now it hitched and caught in his throat. The air trapped in his esophagus refused to move, refused to allow him to breathe.

A stormtrooper stood over the crumpled heap of a body. She looked so small, her freckled, gradient skin looking duller, ashy, and lifeless. She was always so powerful, so full of presence and life and _she shouldn’t look this small._

He doesn’t remember what happens next, there’s just a blank in his memories like he blacked out. The next thing he does remember is that the stormtrooper is dead at his feet and his chest is heaving. Kanan’s head feels light and dizzy but he ignores it.

“Dawn,” her name comes out strangled, pushing past the air still caught in his lungs. Kanan kneels down at his daughter’s side, gathering up her cold body in his arms. He’s trying so hard to stay calm for her sake, but she’s so still, so cold, and so limp. Dawn’s arm drops towards the ground, her hand falling heavily, the weight unsupported entirely. Kanan’s trying so hard not to lose it but _oh god_ her head should not be rolling that way.

“Dawn” Kanan tries again, giving her a shake that’s probably rougher than is necessary but he’s trying to wake her up, to just open her eyes. “C’mon baby girl. We’ve got to get you out of here. Just wake up for me, okay? I need to know you’re okay. Dawn? Dawn honey, come on just…just o-open your eyes.”

Kanan’s losing what little control he had reigned in. He wants to be gentle with her but he’s desperate and she’s not waking up. He doesn’t know where to put his anger because the motherfucker who struck her down is already lying dead a few feet away. There’s so much rage inside of him and Kanan promised himself that no one he loved would ever end up like his Master. But here he is, holding Dawn, his daughter, his _baby_ , in his arms, shaking her roughly.

She won’t open her eyes, she won't wake up and this isn’t a joke anymore, it’s not funny. Kanan can’t lose her like he lost his Master, like he lost his _people_ all those years ago. The rage, the desperation, the pain is roiling around his Kanan’s gut. It’s uncomfortable and burning with white-hot rage like it could very well just corrode its way out through his stomach. The pressure’s building up inside of him, like carbonation pushing against the confines of a bottle about to explode. Kanan can’t—doesn’t want to hold in the mounting weight anymore and he’s losing his mind and—

“ _Just open your eyes!_ ” Kanan’s voice slices its way out of his throat, tearing the inside of his throat raw. There’s so much pain weighing on his words and the mounting pressure is relieved a fraction, just enough for Kanan to function.

He doesn’t want to let her go, but Kanan leaves a lingering kiss on Dawn’s forehead before he puts her back on the ground. He’s gentle, like she’s a baby again and he’s maneuvering her into her crib like she’s made of glass and could shatter at any false move. Dawn’s head loll’s sideways on the ground when Kanan’s hand carefully slips out from under the curve of her neck.

Standing straight, Kanan summons his weapon from where he had earlier discarded it. The moment the cool metal connects with his palm, the lightsaber ignites with a menacing hiss. The blue light casts eerie shadows across Kanan’s face in the fading light of the setting sun.

Kanan knows he shouldn’t be letting his emotions take control of him like this; it goes against everything he ever learned at the Temple. He would be dishonoring his Master’s memory. But he doesn’t care. His daughter is lying dead at his feet and his people are gone and the pressure in his chest is ready to explode and Kanan just doesn’t care.

So he let’s everything go and kills every soldier that gets in his way.


End file.
